A beginner's guide to curling, the world's best sport. | Sports on Earth A curling sheet, via Wikimedia Commons Teams are made up of four players. Each team alternates sliding 42 pound stones (also called rocks because they're made of dense granite) from one end of the sheet to the other, both shooting the same direction. The thing that looks like a dart board is called the "house" and the bullseye is the "button" (this game is so delightfully homey and non-threatening; the whole premise of the sport is sliding stones slowly). There are a bunch of lines to keep things organized. The line that runs down the center of the sheet from one end to the other is reasonably called the centre line. A stone must stop between the hog line (21 feet in front of the center [sorry, centre] of the house) and the back line (you got this one) to remain in play. The tee line runs through the button perpendicular to the centre line. I imagined it was given this name because it makes a "T" with the centre line. That might not be true, but it makes sense. The last technical thing you need to know is the free guard zone.

On the image above, this is the green-ish highlighted area from the hog line to the teeline, but doesn't include the house. This zone exists because the first four rocks thrown (the term is "thrown" even though nobody throws 42 pound stones at each other) cannot be removed from the free guard zone. If they are hit, the rock is replaced and the shot doesn't count with no redo. How Scoring Works There are 10 ends, which are like innings, where each team alternates throwing eight stones each. The object of this flawless game is to have the closest stones to the button when an end finishes. Scoring is very simple, even though it may sound a bit convoluted at first. You get a point for each stone closer to the button than any of the other team's stones. Only stones inside the house count. So if the Red team has two stones closer to the button than Yellow team's closest stone, Red scores two points. Some basic logic that follows from this: only one team can score per end, but if neither team has a stone in the house, neither team gets points in what is called a blank end. Strategy There are three main types of shots: guards, draws and takeouts.

Guards block the house. Draws are designed to get around the guards and land in the house. Draws will often have really nifty curls, leading you to believe your high school physics teacher was a dirty liar. Takeouts are hard shots that knock other stones out of play. There are a litany of terms for good throws that accomplish several things at once, such as: double roll-in split, double takeout, draw raise, raise takeout, etc. Just know that Olympic curlers are masters at using stones like billiard balls. Many tutorials describe curling as a "game of strategy, tactics and skill" which offers no helpful distinction whatsoever. Strategy is curling's most interesting element. Teams have to plot how to get their stones into the house while still maintaining guards so the other team can't execute a takeout easily or shoot their stone even closer to the button. (Remember what I said earlier about gibberish?) Because you're super-observant, you're probably thinking that the last shot of each end is incredibly valuable. You're right! That's why the last shot of each end is called the hammer, easily the most violent term used in curling.

To keep things fair, the previous end's loser gets the hammer. via Wikimedia Commons Although this isn't a perfect analogy, the team with the hammer is kind of like the team in football with possession. Technically speaking, either team can score, but it's far more likely the team with the hammer will, and they'll adjust their strategy by playing more aggressively, trying to keep the four-foot zone free (shown at right), shoot lots of draws towards the button, or set up corner guards so they have a way to get a stone into the house with the hammer. When a team has the hammer, one point is generally considered a failure. If it looks like they might only gain one point, they will often try to "blank the end" by ensuring no stones are in the house. This way, nobody gets any points and they retain the hammer and can try again the following end. Most people think of curling as the sport with sweeping. Indeed, it is fairly comical to hear the skip shout instructions at sweepers about 100 feet away in a perfectly quiet arena, but the strategy of sweeping is fairly obvious.

The dudes with the brooms allow teams to have some influence over a stone's movement after the delivery, but suffice it to say: generally speaking, if the stone has too much weight, they won't sweep. Although a lot more can be said here, the most intriguing part of curling is how varied the strategies can be. There's rarely a "right" thing to do and ends can evolve very differently. Some ends will be takeout after takeout, others will involve a crowded house with several guards, requiring elaborate draws or takeouts. Ultimately, curling is a game about the flawless execution of a plan. As far as sports go, there isn't a whole lot of room for luck. What countries are good at curling? Since it is a game played on ice, Canada is obviously the best, winning gold at the last two Olympics. The game was invented in the United Kingdom, so they're pretty good, too. The rest of the semi-competitive teams shouldn't surprise anyone: Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Denmark. China, the United States, Germany and Russia round out the men's top 10 in the World Curling Federation rankings . The women's rankings are very similar.

The following countries try to be good at curling but fail: Ukraine, Mongolia, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Israel and Georgia. A for effort, gang. You've convinced me. Curling is the greatest sport on the planet. When will it be on? The short answer is: when you're normally sleeping. Qualifications start Monday, Feb. 10th and run every day until the 17th with start times of 12 a.m., 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The semifinals for both men's and women's are the 19th, the women's final is the 20th at 8:30 a.m., and the men's final is the 21st at 8:30 a.m.. Yes, it is unfortunate that curling will mostly be played while you're sleeping. That's another great aspect of curling: It's very, very hard to have a curling match spoiled since so few people watch or care about it. Fire up those DVRs people. Curling's back!

History of Curling | Curling Canada History of Curling Tweet Library and Archives Canada holds one of the richest collections of documents on curling in Canada, acquired from various regional, national, and international curling bodies. In Bonspiel!, selections from these records are united under the theme of playing and enjoying the unofficial national sport of curling. See the collection here: Go to the Curling Canada Hall of Fame & Museum website: Excerpts from Canada Curls: An Illustrated History of Curling in Canada, by Doug Maxwell (Whitecap Books, 2002) How did curling get started in Canada? Scottish newcomers [pre-Confederation] … had some curling in their background, [and] there were others who wanted to help alleviate the long winters with some kind of sporting activity, and wondered if curling might be the way to do so. Changes [as the sport developed] included the move from outdoor ice to covered rinks; the growth of friendly matches between adjacent towns; the advent of artificial ice; the building of roads and railway and the growth of communication; eventually regional and provincial competition and then national championships; world championships; and the Olympics. Curling had become an essential element of grassroots Canada.

Through its long history, it became a sport attractive to all levels of society, all ages of participants – a lifetime persuasion. Early curling stones in Canada Iron curling “stones,” shaped like tea kettles and weighing about 60 to 80 pounds [27 to 36 kg] each, for men, 40 to 48 pounds [18 to 21 kg] for women, were the first stones to be used in the latter half of the eighteenth century [in Canada]. There are no records, in Scotland or anywhere else, indicating iron stones. When twenty merchants in Montreal elected to form the Montreal Curling Club in 1807, they used irons exclusively. The Montreal Curling Club and 1807 are both significant: that curling club became the first organized sporting club in North America. Irons were used in Montreal and throughout the Ottawa Valley until the mid-1900s. Today they can be found in various parts of the country in trophy cases, as hog-line sentinels, as historical curios, or even doorstops at the local club.

In recent years, [granite] curling stones have been manufactured in Scotland, but the granite has been quarried in the Trefor Mountains of Wales. Still, many have asked why Canada, with at least half of it nestled in the Precambrian shield, and with its wealth of granite, with its million-plus curlers and over 1,100 clubs, has not been able to produce stones suitable for the game. It seemed that nothing could be found to replace the granites from the island of Ailsa Craig, sometimes known as Paddy’s Milestone, set in the Irish Sea off the Ayrshire coast of Scotland. Ailsa Craig granite is the hardest, purest, most dense granite extant. It is impervious to moisture, which in coarser granite freezes, expands, and “pops out” the impurities in the lesser stone, leaving it with an imperfect running surface. In the early game of curling, there were no specific dimensions for a curling stone, neither height nor weight nor diameter nor circumference.

The early game was played with stones of varying sizes, shapes and weights-small ones that could skinny through a narrow port, huge ones that made a fantastic guard once in place, impossible to move. Shortly after the formation of the Grand Caledonian Curling Club in Scotland in 1838, there was a move toward standardization of stones. But even when the basic measurements were agreed upon, there was considerable controversy over the sole of the stone. And for some considerable time the matter of the running surface stirred much debate. Should it be flat? Concave? Convex? Which was best? Most predictable? The sport moves west with the railway When the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven in 1885, the CPR set out to convert much of the land it had been given into farmland. Its immigration efforts, particularly in Great Britain, Europe, and the Ukraine, helped open up the West. And as settlers moved from eastern Canada and the United States to join those from overseas, curling tagged along and quickly became a staple of the new villages and towns. In 1879, Manitoba’s first curling club was formed, in Winnipeg.

December 11 saw the first match held there and, as was the custom, the losers were required to donate a barrel of oatmeal to the hospital. That same year, 1879, saw the first curling in Saskatchewan, in Prince Albert, Rosthern, and Battleford. It would be another ten years before curling arrived in Regina. In Alberta, the first curling club was formed in Lethbridge in 1887. Although there had been curling in Calgary since 1885, it wasn’t until 1888 that the Calgary Curling Club was formally brought into being, and became affiliated with the Manitoba Branch of the RCCC. Edmonton began its curling in the same year – 1888. In 1889, curling came to Macleod, Banff, and Anthracite. The arrival of the railroad not only helped open up the foothills, but it also made travel between curling centres that much easier. Curling was booming. Scots miners brought the game to the interior of British Columbia toward the end of the nineteenth century.

The first club was formed in Kaslo in 1895, and within three years, the Kootenay Curling Association played host to a bonspiel that drew eighteen teams from Rossland, Sandon, Revelstoke, and Kaslo. Curling and the military Curling in Canada has always been aligned, historically, with the military, and their early offshoot, the police force. It was the military that brought curling to Canada, and early accounts of the game are replete with references to Colonel Smith or Major Jones or the Commissioner of Police. When early regiments were disbanded in Canada, and their members given tracts of land, the regimental officers became the elite of the new community, and often formed the first curling clubs. In 1910, there was a major societal change that helped foster curling everywhere. Starting in the US, and then moving into Canada, the five-day work week was introduced, slowly at first, and then with growing prevalence. “The weekend,” with all its implications for extended leisure pursuits, had arrived. Of even greater importance to the growth of curling was the opening up of the western provinces with paved highways.

In the first days of the game on the Prairies, small, one- and two-sheet clubs were built close to the players’ homes. But as highways replaced dirt roads and cars became more common, it became ever easier for curlers to drive to a newer club with more sheets of ice where greater numbers could gather. There was nothing fancy about most clubs. What was important was the sense of belonging, of becoming involved in a game that attracted most members of the community. Introduction of in-turns and out-turns Curlers take it for granted that there has always been an in-turn and an out-turn in the delivery of the stone. Not so. In the Scotland of the late 1700s, curlers simply threw their stones up and down the ice. Straight handle, no turn. Then the curlers in the parish of Fenwick (pronounced Fen-ick) discovered that if you imparted a turn, or as they called it, a twist, to the handle in delivery, their stone would curl around an opposition rock and be hidden. The uproar that ensued over this “illegal” method of play threatened to split the game apart. “Tha’s nae curling,” some said.

A few curlers of the day called for the twist to be outlawed as going against the spirit of the game. Curling, they said, wanted, and needed, straight shooters. Others reasoned that if the Fenwick curlers could make one stone curl around another and bury in behind a guard, then they could learn the same “illegal” manoeuvre for themselves, and beat the Fenwickians at their own game. And so the in-hand (in-turn) and out-hand (out¬turn) came into being. According to some authorities, the curl in curling didn’t come to Canada until somewhere around 1840. Up until then the stone was delivered with a (mostly) straight handle. But with all the changes that have taken place over the years, curling is still a game with the fewest of rules possible; it is still a game that depends on the players themselves to follow the rules, both written and unwritten. How the curling delivery developed In the early days of the Canadian game, when a curler delivered the stone from the hack, there might have been a step or two after release, but there was no slide.

Years would go by before some curlers found their swing momentum resulted in an involuntary slide from the hack rather than a few short steps. Some Canadians, in delivering the stone, might (wow) slide to the back of the rings. It wasn’t long before some of the better curlers could reach the tee line. Ken Watson, originator of the “long slide,” could glide comfortably to the front of the rings. And beyond. Soon it was the slide that captured the fancy of newcomers. To produce a graceful slide, curlers took to many methods of improving their footwear. Liquid solder, seasoned leather, plastic milk carton sides – all were attempted. And to some degree, all worked. Then came Teflon, the red brick slider and as other, more improved materials surfaced, it soon became apparent that a curler could slide any distance he or she wanted. Where did hog-line violations come from? According to Scots curlers, the term [“hog-line”] is derived from Scottish agriculture.

In a country where so many sheep were raised, a lamb in its first year of life was called “a hog.” In time, the name came to represent a straggler, a weakling, the one most likely to fall prey to predators, or to be culled from the flock. Similarly, a stone that could barely make it into the playing area was called a hog, and was therefore culled from the rest. Introduction of time clocks [Over time], new rules would be constructed to help improve the game. There was a move in 1989, dictated by necessity that saw time clocks introduced to curling. That was the year the ICF moved to integrate the Women’s World Championship with the Men’s, in Milwaukee. With this doubling of game activity, the worry for the organizers was that games could drag on to unmanageable lengths. The solution? Time clocks. The original research on time clocks had started in 1983, and when The Sports Network (TSN) introduced time clocks to curling’s Skins Game in 1986, they proved a popular addition to the game, in that the clock mandated a specific length of time for each team’s game.

When the Milwaukee organizers, in 1989, became concerned about scheduling four or five draws a day, the time clock turned out to be the saving grace of the event. Time clocks have been present in top-level curling ever since. Introduction of the Free Guard Zone (FGZ) The “Free Guard Zone” rule arrived two years later, as a modification to a 1991 big-money competition, The Moncton 100. The event was designed as a celebration of Moncton’s civic centennial, and with $250,000 in prize money, it was the world’s richest cashspiel. To give the event added allure, one of the competing teams, Ontario’s Russ Howard foursome, suggested a rule change similar to one of his team’s practice drills: neither side would be allowed to remove the first four stones of an end from play, whether in the rings or not. They could move the rocks around, but not remove them. The rule, dubbed The Howard Rule, proved a popular addition to the Moncton event. A year later, when renamed the Free Guard Zone rule, and with one modification, it became a feature of the Winter Olympics of 1992.

The Olympic modification restricted the Free Guard Zone to an area between the hog line and the tee line outside the rings. While subsequently Canada opted for a three-rock FGZ rule, the rest of the world thought a four-rock rule was preferable. Birth of the Brier The annual Manitoba Bonspiel became the dominant event of the sport, and one company, the W. C. Macdonald Tobacco Company of Montreal, became a major benefactor and catalyst of the game. In 1924, George J. Cameron, an enthusiastic Winnipeg curler, dreamed aloud his idea of uniting the east and west of Canada through curling. Cameron was president of W. L. Mackenzie and Company, the western representative of the Macdonald Tobacco Company since 1880. Two of his friends, Walter Payne, known as Manitoba’s “thane of curling,” and John T. Haig, a past president of the Manitoba Curling Association, encouraged his thinking. The Macdonald Company agreed to support the establishment of the Macdonald Brier trophy, as a key part of the 1925 Manitoba Bonspiel.

In addition to receiving the honour of having their names engraved on a magnificent silver trophy (later rechristened the British Consols trophy) the winners would receive an all-expense trip to eastern Canada for a series of friendly games against eastern teams. In 1925, the winner was Howard Wood of Winnipeg, whose rink of Johnny Erzinger, Vic Wood (brother) and Lionel Wood (son) traveled east in the spring of 1925. In 1926, the winners of the Macdonald Trophy event – the George Sherwood rink – were sent east to participate in the famed Quebec Bonspiel, where they won the Holt Renfrew Trophy. This second visit attracted greater attention, and subsequent conversations between Cameron and Thomas Rennie of Toronto (and others) led to the concept of a national event, with inaugural play to be held at the Granite Club in Toronto in 1927. And so the Brier (a Macdonald Tobacco trademark name) as the national curling championship of Canada, was born.

Unlike many other sporting championships, in which the players are hived off in glossy, luxurious surroundings, far from the fans who support the event, the Brier puts curlers and fans together, usually in a gathering place known as the Brier Patch. There had always been a meeting place at the Brier, but never one as elaborate as “the Patch.” The first Brier Patch (under that name) was established by Don Pottinger’s Brandon committee, in 1982. It has been a feature of the Brier ever since. A national curling championship for women It wasn’t until the 1950s that women’s curling moved beyond provincial borders in an organized way. At the time, there was a Western Canada Women’s Championship, sponsored by the T. Eaton Company. In the east, there were individual provincial championships (Macdonald Tobacco, for example, sponsored a Quebec women’s event) but no all-eastern championship. There was talk in women’s curling circles about how wonderful it would be if they could have a championship of their own to emulate the Brier.

In February of 1960, the Canadian Ladies’ Curling Association (CLCA) was formed, with Hazel Watt as its first president. At the inaugural meeting, John Hull of Public Relations Services Limited (PRSL) was there to present a sponsorship plan on behalf of Dominion Stores Limited. The following year saw the Diamond D turn to the Brier format of ten provincial teams seeking a national crown. The teams were assembled in Ottawa, and the event proved instantly popular. The 1961 title was won (as in 1960) by the Joyce McKee team, this time with a new front end of Barbara MacNevin and Rosa McFee to accompany Sylvia Fedoruk at third. McKee would go on to win a third crown, as skip, in 1969, and three more Canadian championships as second for Vera Pezer. Between them, McKee and Pezer helped establish and solidify the stature of the Canadian Women’s Championship.

In 1979 … Macdonald Tobacco, under increasingly heavy pressure from the Canadian government’s anti-tobacco thrust, reluctantly withdrew its support of both the Brier and the Lassie … and for the next two years, the CLCA operated its own championship. In February of 1982, the first Scott Tournament of Hearts was held in Regina, with [former world champion curler and former Scott Paper employee, Robin] Wilson acting as coordinator. Today, the Scott Tournament of Hearts is Canada’s longest-running sponsored national event. The combination of adroit promotion, skilled play, and full television coverage helped the [Scotties] Tournament of Hearts to become a vital component of the Canadian curling scene. Finally… At one level there appears to be little in common between the curling that came to Canada in 1759 and today’s game. Then it was irons; now it is granites. Then it was outdoors on natural ice; now it is indoors on artificial ice. Luck played a major role, skill a lesser role in the final result then; skill is the major component of victory now, though luck is still a factor. It would appear to be two different games, then and now.

But look again and it’s obvious that the game that started in a small way in a new land bears a striking resemblance to the game that captivates so many Canadians today. It’s a game that beckons to Canadians of all ages and stages, in every province and territory. It was a slippery game then, and is so now. Laughter and camaraderie abound. 2014-05-30 The Curling School by CurlTech Section 1 Overview of the Sport Description Curling is a team sport played on ice. The sport, which is now an Olympic medal sport, probably originated in the 1500's on the lakes and ponds of Northern Europe. Two teams of four players each slide 42-pound granite rocks down a sheet of ice 140 feet long by 15 feet wide (see Figure 1.1). The rocks are delivered from one end of the sheet to the other toward the center of a 12-foot diameter target. Curling is played actively in more than thirty countries in Europe, Asia, North America, New Zealand and Australia. The majority of players live in Scotland, Canada and the United States.

It is mostly played indoors at dedicated curling facilities housing multiple sheets (lanes) of ice. Curling can be enjoyed by nearly all age groups for social play and high-level competition such as the Olympic Games. Curling awareness has increased dramatically since the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and the Games in Torino, Italy in 2006 where media coverage of the sport dramatically increased in the United States. Many teams are preparing for competition in the Winter Games in Vancouver, BC in 2010. Object of the Game The object of the game is to score as many rocks as possible by throwing them closest to the center of the 12-foot ring. The targets are painted into the ice just below the surface at both ends of the sheet of ice, to allow the game to be played back and forth, usually eight or ten times. Each player throws two rocks toward the target, alternating with the opponent. Rocks traveling down the ice will curve anywhere from six inches to six feet. After all sixteen rocks have been thrown the score is determined. Teams score one point for each rock closest to the center of the house without an opponent's rock closer.

In each end (similar to an inning in baseball), only one team can score. A unique part of curling is the concept of sweeping. Players vigorously sweep, or brush the ice in front of the rock to keep it moving. The friction (and resulting heat) of the brooms momentarily melts a molecular layer of the ice in front of the rock. This thin layer lubricates the bottom of the rock allowing it to travel farther and straighter. The Playing Area Some History As mentioned earlier, the game originated on the frozen lochs of Western Europe several hundred years ago. There was a point in curling history where temporary enclosures were placed around the curling section of the frozen lake. This was done to protect the curlers from the elements. Ice that is formed by cold air is known as "natural" ice. For natural ice to occur, obviously the temperature must be below 0 C (32 degree F). This limited the growth of curling to the northern latitudes. When the sport finally came to North America (early 1800's), it was primarily played in Canada, where the winter temperatures were consistently below freezing.

In the early 1900's, refrigeration technology allowed ice to be prepared in regions where winter temperatures are often above 32 degree . This ice is known as "artificial" ice. Almost all curling facilities now have artificial ice, which allows curling to thrive in lower latitudes. Artificial ice is produced using a process of compressing ammonia or Freon® and then allowing it to expand and cool. This cooling process removes heat from the playing surface, lowering the temperature, and creating ice. This is done by running cooling pipes under the playing surface. The pipes are usually four inches apart, run the length of each sheet, and carry cold liquid chilled by the ammonia or Freon. A four-sheet club has approximately six miles of pipe under the ice. Artificial ice allows people to curl in warm climates as well. The refrigeration compressor is driven by one or more large capacity electric motors. These motors draw an enormous amount of electricity. To date, dedicated curling facilities in warm climates (35 degrees North latitude and below) are essentially non-existent. Curling in these climates usually happens at ice rinks that share ice time with skaters, hockey players and curlers.

The Sheet The modern sheet of ice is approximately fifteen feet wide by about 140 feet long. Rubber "hacks" are placed in the ice for foot traction during for delivering the rocks. Figure 1.1 Sheet Dimensions The Hog Line The hog line has two functions. The far hog line serves as the leading edge of the area "in play" meaning rocks must fully cross the hog line to stay in play during the end. The nearer hog line serves as the farthest edge of the delivery release point meaning all rocks must be released before they touch the near hog line. Anecdotal Explanation The name hog line comes from an old shepherding term. The line of slow-moving sheep at the trailing edge of the pack was referred to as the as the hog line, meaning they were as slow as hogs. This line of sheep was the farthest back a sheep could be and still be part of the group. You can draw the distant similarity. In curling, it's the farthest point a rock can be from the center and still be in play.

As players began to slide in delivery (1940s and 50s) rules were put in place to prevent a player from sliding the entire length and placing the rock in house. The near hog line seemed to be a suitable spot. Starting in the 1950s, the body was not allowed to cross the hog line during the delivery. In 1973, the international organization wrote the rule stating the rock must be released before it touches the hog line and the body would be allowed to slide past it. Today, the rock is removed from play if it touches the hog line prior to release. The Ice From a distance, curling ice appears perfectly smooth. After a closer look, you'll notice that the ice appears bumpy. The rocks ride on these small frozen bumps called "pebble". The pebble is put on before each game with a machine that works like a flower sprinkler. Without the pebble, there would be too much friction between the ice and the rocks, making it too difficult to throw the rocks the full distance. Pebble is what makes curling a "finesse game". The ice is maintained between games by sweeping off debris and scraping the surface two or three times a week.

A special scraping machine is manufactured just for curling ice. The resurfacing machine removes the build-up of pebble and any frost that has settled before new pebble is applied. Occasionally, due to the uneven freezing of the surface, the entire area is flooded and allowed to freeze slowly. This levels the ice and is done about every six weeks. It is very difficult to prepare a perfectly level ice surface. Even though most imperfections can't be seen, the way the rocks behave while in motion may indicate the presence of ridges and troughs. This is part of the game. Skips must determine what the sheets are like as early as possible, similar to "reading" the green in golf. The ice surface temperature is maintained somewhere in the 22-25 degree range. In some cases, sophisticated equipment is used to measure and maintain these temperatures. The Air The air temperature in some clubs is controlled. The ideal air temperature at chest level is around 40 degree F. Not only is it comfortable for the curlers, the heat keeps the relative humidity lower so frost won't build up on the ice. Some clubs have dehumidification systems. This further decreases the relative humidity.

Lower latitude clubs with no heating capabilities usually have frost problems. Higher latitude clubs with no heat are very cold. The Curling Team Teams are made up of four players. Each player throws two rocks, alternating with the opponent. The first position is known as the Lead and throws the first two rocks. The second position is known as the Second and throws the second two. The third position is known as the Vice Skip and throws the third two rocks. The fourth position is known as the Skip (calls each shot and is the team captain) and throws the last two rocks. The skip controls the game by determining all of the shots and developing the game strategy. Since the rocks curl as they travel down the ice, the throwers must aim at a point other than the intended resting point. The skip is responsible for providing an aiming point. He or she places the broom upright, directly over the desired aiming point. The skip is also responsible for determining whether sweeping is necessary and communicating this to the sweepers* The use of a team coach is becoming more popular. Curling coaches are required to "passively coach" the team. Rules state that the coach cannot interact with the team during play.

Even with the existence of a team coach, the skip must call all of the shots. Coaches generally communicate before, after and in some cases, during a break half way through the game. Time-outs are another opportunity for coaches to intervene. * There are certain instances when the skip is not responsible for determining sweeping. (See the Sweeping section) Types of Shots Essentially, there are only two types of curling shots, the draw and the takeout. There are many variations of these two shots, however. Draws are shots that are only thrown hard enough only to reach the field of play at the other end. Takeouts are designed to remove rocks from play. As mentioned earlier, we intentionally rotate the rocks as we throw them. These rotations are called turns. A clockwise rotation (for a right handed person) is called an In-turn while a counter-clockwise rotation is called an Out-turn. The names originally come from the direction your elbow took as you were throwing. (the elbow pointed out as you rotated the out-turn and vice versa). This is no longer appropriate because the elbow shouldn't move at all but the names remain.

Below is a list of possible draw shots: Open Draw a rock thrown into an empty house Center Guard a rock thrown short of the house to be used as protection Corner guard a rock short of the house and off to the side Come around any draw shot that curls around another rock Raise Tapping a front guard into the house Tap back a heavier weight draw designed to push another rock back but not out of the house Freeze a draw that comes to rest touching another rock Corner-freeze a draw that comes to rest on the edge of another rock Below is a list of possible takeout shots: Normal a takeout thrown with enough weight to firmly remove another rock (a normal takeout undisturbed should hit the back wall and bounce back about a foot) Hack Weight Hit a takeout thrown with enough weight to gently remove another rock (a hack weight takeout undisturbed should come to rest at the back wall) Peel a takeout thrown with very hard weight to remove rocks from play (undisturbed peel weight shots should hit the back wall and bounce back several feet) Hit & Roll a takeout that, after making contact with another rock, rolls to a designated place Tick/Chip a takeout thrown to hit another rock thin enough to move it to the side without removing

 it from play The Skip's Signals and How to Interpret Them All shots called by the skip have an associated hand or arm signal.

Hand signals were developed due to the length of the sheet of ice (the option is to scream to other players at the other end). Also, many curling clubs are so loud that talking is difficult. Skip's signal can vary dramatically. Listed below are the most common signals used. There are two basic types: 1. Signals to determine the shot Tapping the ice with the broom (intended resting point) Right arm extended (in turn for right-handers) Left arm extended (out turn for right-handers) Tapping the rock with the broom (intended takeout target) 2. Signals to determine the weight Tapping the hack with broom (intended weight) Touching the arm at the wrist, elbow or shoulder Touching the upper body at the waist, chest and neck The Game Flow Games consist of either eight or ten "ends" depending on the level of competition. League and bonspiel games are generally eight ends while play leading to a national or world championship would be ten ends. An end in curling is similar to an inning in baseball. Each end takes approximately fifteen minutes, so an eight end game would generally take two hours to play.

Each game, the teams are assigned a sheet of ice (similar to a lane in bowling) at the curling club. Curling clubs have anywhere from two sheets to eight sheets of ice. Pre-Game Routine The game begins with a handshake. It is customary for each player to shake hands with each opposing player and each teammate. Shake hands with the opponent first. We teach the kids to shake hands in our junior programs. The W.E.ST. Technique is a good handshake method for juniors AND adults. W eb T wo Web When reaching out for the handshake, make sure the webs (area between the thumb and index finger) of each hand make contact. Eye Contact Remember the color of their eyes. Solid Use a solid grip that is firm but not overpowering. This can be used for men and women. Two Shake two times. Practice Slides In league games, it is customary to NOT practice. Most curlers take a few "practice slides" before throwing the first rock. This is done by sliding out of the hack area with no rock. Do not throw rocks prior to any game unless it is specifically mentioned in the league rules.

Practice slides help limber-up the body (pre-game stretching is also recommended, see the Delivery section) prior to throwing the first rock. In championship games, a short pre-game practice is allowed, generally ten minutes per team. The Coin Toss The vice skips on each team toss a coin to determine who has the last rock advantage in the first end. In most cases the winner of the coin toss chooses to throw the last rock, the loser of the toss chooses the rock color. Beginning of the Game At this point, the skips move to the opposite end of the ice and the team not delivering moves between the hog lines. The skip calls the shot, the first rock is thrown, and the game is on. Note: In many clubs, the rocks are numbered from one to eight. Unless told otherwise, the lead should throw rocks number one and two, the second throws three and four and so on. Each player will throw two stones per end, alternating with the opponent. Your team throws one, the opposing team throws one, and so on. As the lead is throwing, the second and vice are designated sweepers, with the skip calling the shots. When the second is throwing, the lead and vice are the sweepers.

When the vice is throwing, the lead and seconds are sweeping. When it comes time for the skips to throw, the vice skip takes over responsibility of the house and calls all sweeping for direction. The lead and second remain as the sweepers for the skip's shots. Yes, the lead and second sweep more than the vice, and the skip doesn't sweep at all. Position of Players Understanding where to position yourself on the ice is critical to team performance as well as playing by the rules. The leads and seconds must position themselves between the hog lines unless they are about to sweep or about to deliver a rock. If you are about to deliver a rock, position yourself behind the hack and remain quiet and still as your opponent delivers. As soon as the opponent delivers the rock, choose your rock and move into the hack area. While the opponent's rock is still in motion, begin the setup process in the hack (described in the Delivery section). If you are about to sweep, position yourself on the tee line approximately two feet from the sideline. Confirm the shot and weight with the thrower. As your teammate begins to deliver, start moving forward and to the center trying to "meet" the rock near the hog line.

At this point you may begin sweeping the rock if necessary. When you have stopped sweeping, return to the other end of the ice. Be sure not to walk down the center of the sheet, preventing the opponent from viewing. As you are walking back, try not to distract the opponent in the hack. If time permits, stop and remain still while the opponent is delivering. Completing the End Once all sixteen rocks have come to rest, the vice skips from each team agree on how many rocks are counting and to which team they belong. Only one team can score in an end and the most any team can score is eight. Occasionally, when the counting rock or rocks can't be determined by the naked eye, a special measuring device is used (see the Measuring Rocks section). Normal scoring in an end may be one, two, three or even four rocks. Scores of five, six and seven are much less common. Scoring all eight rocks is as rare as a hole-in-one in golf and many players never see one. Scoring Having last rock in any end is clearly an advantage. It's called having the "hammer". The hammer in the first end is determined before the game by a coin toss, generally by the vice skips.

In championship play, the hammer is evenly but randomly assigned. After each end, when all sixteen rocks have come to rest, one team will score one point for every rock it has closest to the center. Only one team can score in an end. The scoring team gives up the hammer in the next end. If no team scores in an end, either deliberately or by accident, the hammer is retained. The vice skip of the scoring team is responsible for posting the score after each end. On the curling scoreboard, numbers 1 through 16 (possibly 17, 18, 19 etc.) are painted horizontally from left to right. These numbers represent the rocks scored. At one end of the scoreboard, there is a stack of individual numbers from 1 to 10. These represent the ends and are hung either over or under the painted numbers. Since teams throw different colored rocks, the ends are hung above or below the painted numbers depending on color. In curling, the rocks scored are posted cumulatively, meaning two rocks scored in the second end are added to whatever was scored in the first end (if any). The team scoring in the end throws first in the next end.

This means that the scoring team will never have last rock advantage after just scoring. Finishing the Game At the completion of the game, it is customary to again shake hands with your opponents and your teammates. It is now time for broomstacking. Most curling clubs have some sort of gathering area for broomstacking teams. There will usually be table set up behind each sheet of ice designated for this. Conceding the Game Curling is one of only a few sports that allow a team to concede before the end of the game. It is customary to concede the game if you think the lead is insurmountable, even if it is mathematically possible to still win or tie. Of course if it is mathematically impossible to tie or win, the game is over and the losing team should immediately shake hands. Game Speed Most people find that fifteen minutes per end is a comfortable pace for the game. In fact, most league schedules and game times rely on this. Slow play not only delays the following games, it allows players to get bored and/or cold. It is important to be ready to throw when it is your turn.

Timed Games At all championship level games and in some bonspiels, time clocks are used to control the speed of the games. The reason for time clocks is to prevent one team from taking enormous amounts of time to call the game. The clock is similar to a chess clock and each team has 73 minutes (146 minutes total) to complete a ten end game. Teams out of time lose the game. The clock begins at the start of the forward motion of the rock and stops when the skip or acting skip is clear of the playing area. Skips should note that even if your rock has come to rest, the clock would continue to run until you completely give way to the opposing skip. It is necessary for the lead and second to be ready to play when the opponent's rock comes to rest. This is a noticeable difference in the pace of the game. Teams under the clock no longer have the luxury of casually moving into the hack and taking their time. The pace at the beginning of end is usually faster than the pace at the end due to the vice skips and skips discussing the shots. The faster the leads and second are, the more time the back end has to discuss the strategy.

Equipment Equipment for Curlers Curling equipment comes in a range of complexity and cost. The only essential items are a "slider" and a "broom". A slider is a piece of Teflon®, plastic or steel that is slipped onto one foot in order to easily slide down the sheet of ice. The modern game of curling is designed around the ability to slide with no effort. The other foot usually wears a rubber-soled shoe used to grip the ice. To throw the rock, one foot pushes while the other slides. Right-handed curlers push with their right foot and slide on their left. The broom or brush is used to sweep the ice (polish it, actually) and most curling clubs have brooms available for use. See the Advanced Equipment section for the CurlTech choice on purchasing a broom More advanced curlers may choose to purchase special curling shoes with a built-in slider. See the Advanced Equipment section for the CurlTech recommendation for curling shoes. There are many manufacturers of curling equipment in the United States and Canada. Most veteran curlers choose to have their own curling equipment; shoes, brooms, special curling gloves, pants, jackets, etc. The list of equipment types and styles is endless.

Consult your local curling trainer or curling professional for advice on appropriate equipment. Equipment for the Curling Club Curling facilities own a variety of equipment that directly affect to the game. Refrigeration System The most expensive and complex equipment in the club is the refrigeration system used to make artificial ice. Heating, dehumidification and water purification systems are also complex and expensive. Rocks The next most critical piece of equipment is the rocks. They are made from solid chunks of special, high-density granite found in Wales and Scotland. Earlier rocks came from an island off the Scotland coast called Ailsa Craig. The island's best granite is called "blue hone". Blue hone granite is very dense and lasts long as a running surface. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to break or chip near the striking band. A better striking rock is a Trefor (pronounced Trevor) quarried in Wales but its running surface wears quicker and can pit, causing irregular movement. The best rocks today are Trefor granite with blue hone inserted as the running surface. The cost of a rock is between $300.00 and $500.00! With proper care, they can last many decades.

Se the Field of Play section for more detail on rocks. Misc. Club Equipment Glossary of Curling Terms | Curling Canada Glossary of Curling Terms The following terms and definitions are used throughout the curling world. BACKLINE The line across the ice at the back of the house. Stones which are over this line are removed from play. BITER A stone that just touches the outer edge of the circles. BLANK END An end in which no points have been scored. BONSPIEL A curling competition or tournament. BRUSH A device used to sweep the ice in the path of a moving stone. BURNED STONE A stone in motion touched by a member of either team, or any part of their equipment. Burned stones are removed from play. BUTTON The circle at the centre of the house. COUNTER Any stone in the rings or touching the rings which is a potential point. CURL The amount a rock bends while travelling down the sheet of ice. DRAW WEIGHT The momentum required for a stone to reach the house or cirlces at the distant end. END A portion of a curling game that is completed when each team has thrown eight stones and the score has been decided.

GUARD A stone that is placed in a position so that it may protect another stone. HACKS The foot-holds at each end of the ice from which the stone is delivered. HEAVY A rock delivered with a greater force than necessary. HIT A take-out. Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone. HOG LINE A line 10 meters from the hack at each end of the ice. HOGGED STONE A stone that does not reach the far hog line. It must be removed from play. HOUSE The rings or circles toward which play is directed consisting of a 12-foot ring, 8-foot ring, 4-foot ring and a button. IN-TURN The rotation applied to the handle of a stone that causes it to rotate in a clockwise direction and curl for a right-handed curler. LEAD The first player on a team to deliver a pair of stones for his/her team in each end. OUT-TURN The rotation applied to the handle of a stone that causes it to turn and curl in a counter-clockwise direction for a right-handed curler. PEBBLE A fine spray of water applied to a sheet of curling ice before commencing play.

RAISE When one stone is bumped ahead by another. ROLL The movement of a curling stone after it has struck a stationary stone in play. SECOND The curler who delivers the second pair of stones for hi/her team in each end. SHEET The specific playing surface upon which a curling game is played. SHOT ROCK At any time during an end, the stone closest to the button. SKIP The player who determines the strategy, and directs play for the team. The skip delivers the last pair of stones for his/her team in each end. SPARE An alternate player or substitute. SLIDER Slippery material placed on the sole of the shoe, to make it easier to slide on the ice. SWEEPING The action of moving a broom or brush back and forth in the path of a moving stone. TAKE OUT Removal of a stone from the playing area by hitting it with another stone. TEE LINE The line that passes through the centre of the house parallel to the hog line and backline. THIRD, VICE-SKIP OR MATE The third player on a team to throw two stones in each end. Generally this player acts as the skip when the skip is delivering his/her stones and assists with shot selection decisions. WEIGHT

Question: In which sport is there a hog line?
Answer: CURLING